When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This statement turned out to be a bit of an understatement.
Now aged 22 and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his first summons to the full England team.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to potential England player is a proper throwback, a journey rarely seen in the modern game.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the top division and playing for England as well,” Scott said in a recent interview.
“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for myself and my loved ones.”
So how did Scott, known fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up at this level?
Developing in non-league
His path in football has been far from a typical one.
He was part of over four years in the Saints’ youth system starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to fly from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could train and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they released him. The Cherries gave him an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, as he later admitted, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he opted to remain on the island and play for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to relax at home with my friends at weekends because I missed nearly four and a half years of that experience. Getting that slice of youth back was something I definitely required.
“To gain some confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important things that led me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a 57th-minute substitute in their Isthmian League match at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the side because his talent is obvious,” manager Tony Vance commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the manner he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Championship side the Robins – owned by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his development after an promising beginning in adult football and arranged a try-out in December 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled the player. “The first day I joined the under-18s, the second day I was with the first team, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in the capital, travelled back and by Friday, I played for the youth team and scored a hat-trick. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
In just 18 months, still well before his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut against Luton.
Scott made eighty-three league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, frequently being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his adaptability and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
With his skill to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to City and England playmaker Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the second tier’s young player of the season award, was chosen in the league’s best XI and was voted Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I think he will represent his country and I’m sure he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at the club, stated previously.
Within 90 days later, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his major transfer
Scott endured a challenging first season with the club, waiting until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being in and out of the team.
His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly several months.
“There was quite a good run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“It was almost another setback and it was turning out to be a pretty bad year for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to regain fitness for the tournament.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, forming a strong understanding in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side under the national coach.
And he has started this season equally as impressively for his club, playing in all matches to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“Representing the national team would be one of the proudest occasions of my career,” Scott stated recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to continue developing as a player, maintain my love for the game, getting better every day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
